If a piece looks like someone emptied a jewelry box of gold over a garden of hand-painted flowers, there's a good chance somebody called it "Satsuma." The name gets used for everything from museum-quality Japanese pottery to bright, glossy porcelain made in China a few decades ago. Here's how to tell what you've got.
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Where Satsuma ware came from
Satsuma was a province on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, ruled by the Shimazu clan. Korean potters brought there around 1600 started the local pottery tradition. The pieces that made Satsuma famous in the West, though, came later: in the Meiji era (1868 to 1912), workshops in Kyoto, Osaka and Yokohama decorated cream-colored Satsuma-type earthenware with tiny, crowded scenes, flowers and heavy gold, and shipped it to Europe and America by the crate. Collectors still look for makers like Kinkozan and Yabu Meizan.
What makes something "Satsuma style"
- Gilding: lots of gold, used for outlines, borders and backgrounds.
- Polychrome enamels: flowers, butterflies, birds, figures and scrolls in many colors.
- Moriage: raised dots and lines piped on like cake icing, so you can feel the pattern. Our lusterware and moriage guide explains more.
- Busy, all-over decoration: very little plain surface is left showing.
Japanese Satsuma vs. Chinese Satsuma style
As Japanese Satsuma became popular, factories elsewhere copied the look. China made a great deal of Satsuma style porcelain for export in the later 20th century, from vases and ginger jars to big animal figures. A few clues help sort them out:
- The body: classic Japanese Satsuma is a soft cream earthenware covered in a fine web of crackle in the glaze. Chinese Satsuma style pieces are usually hard white porcelain with a smooth, glossy surface.
- The colors: antique Japanese pieces tend toward softer, mellow colors with fine, delicate painting. Chinese export pieces are often brighter and bolder, with yellow, black or cobalt grounds.
- The marks: many Japanese pieces carry a painted mark, sometimes with the Shimazu crest, a cross inside a circle. Chinese pieces are often stamped "Satsuma," "Royal Satsuma" or "Made in China," or carry a paper label. Our guide to reading pottery and porcelain marks can help, and so can dating Japanese marks.
Neither one is a "fake" to be embarrassed about. Chinese Satsuma style pieces were made and sold openly as decorative ware, and today they're loved for their color and drama, especially in chinoiserie and maximalist rooms. They just aren't Meiji antiques, so price them as the decorative pieces they are.
See it in person: Satsuma style and Asian-inspired pieces in the shop
Each one is a single piece, so when it's gone, it's gone.
Condition to check
- Gilt wear: gold rubs off high points, rims, noses and paws first. Light wear is normal.
- Crazing: fine lines in the glaze are common on older and export pieces. It's a surface feature, not a crack, but it should always be mentioned.
- Moriage loss: raised dots can flake off. Run a finger over them and look for little gaps.
- Chips and cracks: check ears, tails, rims and lid edges under a bright light.
- Repainting: fresh, too-bright gold on an otherwise worn piece can mean touch-ups.
Care
Dust with a soft brush and wipe gently with a damp cloth. Skip the dishwasher, scrubbers and harsh cleaners, which strip gold in a hurry. See our full care guide.
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Keep reading: Collecting Vintage Figurines · What Is Japanese Lusterware? · Nippon, Japan or Occupied Japan?
Was there a gold-covered vase or figurine in your family that nobody was allowed to dust but Grandma? Tell us about it.